Building



Patented Apr. 28, 1942 ATE-T OFFICE.

2 Claims.

The invention relates generally to buildings, and it has particular relation to homes or dwellings and methods of building them.

In certain respects, the invention is related to and constitutes an improvement over the subject-matter of the invention disclosed in my copending application for patent, Serial No. 289,- 093, filed August 9, 1939.

In the building of homes on the order of those to which the copending application refers, it is of importance that the cost of construction be reduced as much as possible, especially where small homes are being built. While the present invention is concerned generally with the building of such homes, it is particularly concernedwith the laying of siding and the construction of the usually V-shaped end gable sections.

In connection with the application of siding, it is customary to apply it in edge overlapping relation and to fit each piece in place, and to do this with precision requires considerable time and efi-ort on the part of the carpenter or workman. It will be apparent that unless the ends of the siding fit closely against the corner boarding or casings, unsightly and undesirable gaps or crevices will be present. While it is important as well as desirable that the siding be fitted with precision, it has been difiicult to obtain this precision and at the same time lay the siding rapidly and efiiciently.

In connection with the end gable sections, it has been usual to out these one by one and to fit them as well as possible in the end gable framework. While satisfactory structures are built by carpenters and workmen in this manner, it has not been an efficient practice, and on occasion the fits have not been as good as ordinarily would be desired.

One object of the present invention is to provide improvements in the method of building homes and particularly small homes, all to the end that the cost of construction can be reduced and thus the purchase of small homes be made possible for a greater number of people.

Another and more specific object of the invention is to provide an improved method of applying siding to the walls of a home which will permit the workmen to apply the siding rapidly and eificiently, avoiding the disadvantages mentioned previously in connection with siding that has not been properly fitted.

Another object of the invention is to provide equipment for facilitating the accomplishment of this improvement in the application of siding.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method of. constructing the studs for end gable sections, to: the en that the construction of such studs may-be effected in an accurate and eificient manner.

Another object of the. invention is to provide a jig or fixtureenabling the. construction of such studs accurately and rapidly.

\ Other objectsv of .the invention; will becomeapparent. from the. following specification, .from the drawing to which. it-relates, and from. the claims. hereinafter set'forth.

For a better-understandingofythe invention, reference may behadto. the drawing wherein Figure 1 is a fragmentary,..elevational view-:of the. side wall ofa house. constructed .accordingio one form .of the invention;

Fig. 2xis a cross-sectional view on a larger scale taken substantially along the line 2+2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view takensubstantially along the line 3?3.o f Fig. 2; V

Fig. 4- is a fragmentary view of the structure shown by Fig. 1- with certain parts broken away, and with the construction shown on: a larger scale;

Fig. 5 is a view illustrating a step in the method of applying the siding to the wall;

- Fig. 6 is. a fragmentary, detailedview; illustrating a trim strip employed in the application of the siding; 1

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the horizontal form upon which the sidewall is assembled and built is indicated at In, and this form may comprise interconnected longitudinal andtransverse frame members II and 12- and spaced blocks I3 and 14, to provide notches for receiving the studding indicated at IS. A locating member I6 may be provided at the end ofthe form indoublespaced relation to the block-l3 at the end,- in order to accommodate a double corner stud indicated at IT and I8." With the studding in place, it is covered by means of inner board-ing;-'2fl that is nailed thereto, and outwardlyof the boarding-"20 an insulating paper or the-like23 may b tacked.

The side Wall to'be constructed-in t e-insta-nce shown has a door opening-25 andtwo window openings 26 and 27-. The doorframe or easing includes a lower doorsill 28;;side casing-members 29 and'3i3, a header 3|, and ems-ape. Each window casing or frame includesa lower window sill 33, side casing members Stand -35, a header36, and a-drip cap -31. Inthe particular casings shown, the sills and drip cap project slightly beyond the -marginal edges of the side casing members. As shown best by Figs. 1; 2

As may be understood, it is ordinary to apply this siding by a cut and fit method in which a strip is laid and fitted, for example, between the corner boarding 40 and the door casing, then progressively cutting and fitting the other strips, so that the siding is built up progressively during which each strip is fitted in its particular place. Even small crevices are undesirable between the ends of the siding and the corner boarding and casing, audit will be appreciated that in securing close fits considerable time is required and that some waste of material will be incurred. It Will be understood that slight variations in the distance between the casings and corner boarding will occur and this is one reason why each piece of siding must be fitted in place ifthecrevices are to be avoided. When it is considered that a large amount of siding is applied to a house, the additional cost required in obtaining the close fits desired may well be understood.

According to the present invention, these strips of siding are applied in the manner shown by Figs. 3 and 4 in particular, and while the strips are cut to approximately fit between the casing members, corner boarding, etc., cutting the siding to precision lengths and fitting it closely between the parts is not required@ Tolerances may exist, as illustrated in Fig. 4, where the ends of the siding are variably spaced from the corner boarding 40, and thus the carpenters can rapidly cut the siding to satisfactory approximate lengths without difliculty. As a. matter of fact, in volume production, where the walls are constructed as separate units and where a number of houses of the same dimensions and character are to be built, the siding may be cutfor as many: walls as desired by means of motor driven saws, so that rapid production of the siding cut to satisfactory approximate lengths may be accomplished.

, With the siding applied to a wall, even though crevices occur between the ends of the siding and the corner board or between the ends of the siding and the casing members, these crevices are concealed by what may be termed trim strips, indicated at 50, 5|, 52, 53, 54, 55 and56. While these are all on the same order, they will vary in length depending on whether they extend between the sills and drip caps of the window or the sill and drip cap of the door, or whether they extend along the corner boarding 40. Each of the trim strips is provided with notches 58, shown by Fig.6, shaped and arranged in accordance with the outer side of the siding M, and these trim strips are adapted to fit tightly against the corner boarding and against the casing members, as the case may be, andare then nailed to the siding and to the studding thereunder. Ordinarily, it will be found that the trim strips may be nailed to the studding and through the siding so that the nails securing the trim strips in place may also serve to connect the ends of the siding to the studs. Since the notches 58 fit the siding and since the trim strips may be fitted or pushed closely against the' corner boarding or casing members, it will be apparent that any crevices between the ends of the siding and the corner boarding or casing members will be concealed, and to the observer, the siding will in effect be fitted very closely, since it will appear to be fitted against the trim strips.

In the laying of this siding, master trim strips or forms are employed that will correspond exactly to the strips 50 to 56, inclusive, and the application of the siding then may be accomplished in a manner that may be described best in connection with Fig. 5. Assuming that the lower strip of siding is to be applied, the lower ends of two master corner board trim strips, corresponding to the strip 56, are simply nailed by single nails indicated at 60 to the wall at the lower end of the strip, and this nailing is such that the strip may be hingedly pulled away from the wall and pushed back against it, repeatedly.

If preferred or desired, however, a simple form of hinge might be used to hinge the lower end of the master trim strips in place. With the master trim strip in the position as shown by Fig. 5, it is then pulled away from the wall, such as to the dotted line position, and then the first strip of siding is placed on the Wall and in the first notch of the trim strip and then with the trim strip pushed against the wall, it will be apparent that the siding may be accurately nailed in place so it will fit the lower notched in the trim strip. Since a trim strip will be provided at each end of the siding strip being applied, it will be appreciated that the strip of siding will be definitely and accurately located. Each master trim strip as it is used is pivotally connected at its lower end to the wall and this applied to the shorter master trim strips at the sides of the windows and doors. As each strip of siding is applied in this manner so that it fits in the notches of the two master trim strips at its ends, the siding is nailed to the studding underneath through the boarding 20, and after the siding is applied, the master trim strips are removed.

Following this procedure, corresponding trim strips are laid over the ends of the siding and are nailed thereto and to the studs underneath, and it will be apparent that such trim strips will fit the ends of the siding perfectly since the master forms have been employed in laying the siding. Thus, when the work is finished, not only ar any crevices between the ends of the siding and the casing and cornerboarding covered and concealed, but the trim strips fit the stepped siding snugly. The construction of the trim. strips may be accomplished rapidly by means of motor driven saws and jigs enabling formation of the notches accurately.

The principal advantages of the invention are that it increases the rapidity with which the siding may be laid and makes it unnecessary to have a precision fit between the ends of each piece of the siding and the casing and cornerboarding, while still obtaining a concealed and tight joint. Moreover, walls built, in this manner may be constructed in very rapid manner, since the trim strips and siding may be cut in volume quantities and then laid rapidly. Again the invention avoids some waste that previously occurred as a result of poor fitting.

In general, the invention is intended to still further reduce the cost of constructing homes or dwellings and particularly those in the lower cost brackets, so as to enable an even greater number of people to own small homes. By producing the houses in Wall and roof sections, as

described in the copending application to which reference has previously been made, and by reducing the cost of making the wall sections in the manner described in the present application, it will be understood that a distinct contribution toward making smaller homes more available has been made. When it has been considered that such small homes as mentioned in the copending application are to be made in volume quantities, and that in many instances a large number of the constructions will be exactly identical in wall structure, it will be realized that the present invention will allow cutting of siding in large quantities and to the diiferent lengths required in one of the homes, and that the carpenters will have no trouble using any of the cut siding in any one of the homes due to the tolerance permitted by using the trim strips. Furthermore, using the trim master strips will facilitate and expedite laying of the siding and will also ensure laying of it accurately without measurement. All of this procedure reduces the amount of time involved, reduces waste that will occur through cutting of siding to wrong lengths during its fitting, and in general will greatly increase the efficiency of production. Constructing the studs for the end gable sections will contribute definitely to the lowering of costs also.

Although more than one form of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without deframe and disposed in edge overlapping step-like relation, corner boarding fastened to the frame at the ends of the siding, and a wooden trim strip extending along and fitting the side edge surface of each corner boarding and also extending over the ends of the siding, said strip having its inner side notched out to fit the stepped siding and to fit the corner space at the junction of the siding and corner boarding.

2. A building structure comprising a wall frame having a window opening or the like, siding fastened to the outer side of the frame and disposed in edge overlapping step-like relation and extending between one end of the frame and the window opening, a corner boarding at said end of the frame and extending along adjacent the end of the siding, a casing member extending along the side of the window opening and along the other end of the siding, and a wooden trim strip extending along and fitting the side edge surface of the corner boarding and also extending over the adjacent ends of the siding, said strips having their inner sides notched out in stepped relation to fit the stepped siding and to fit the corner spaces at the junction of the ends of the siding and the corner boarding and casing member, respectively.

CHARLES F. JAEGER. 

